A MOTORCYCLIST is in Cairns Base Hospital with serious leg injuries after slamming into a police car and then crashing down an embankment on the Port Douglas road.

The accident happened about 10am on Saturday just north of Wangetti on the Captain Cook Highway when police were about to deal with another motorcyclist who was allegedly speeding.

As the officers prepared to get out of their vehicle to write a ticket, the victim's machine smashed into the back of their car and fell 4-5m down a bank.

The injured man, a 42-year-old from Mareeba, was flown to hospital with nasty leg fractures and rib injuries. His condition is reported to be serious but stable.

The forensic crash unit, scenes of crime and the police regional duty officer attended.

A police spokeswoman said that the circumstances of the crash would be investigated by the forensic crash unit and then overviewed at a district level.

Cairns District Duty Officer Sen-Sgt John Rhodes said yesterday that two officers were on routine mobile radar duty when they clocked a motorcyclist coming from the Port Douglas direction who was allegedly doing more than 100km/hin an80km/hzone.

Sgt Rhodes said there were three motorcyclists travelling together, though some distance apart.

He said the police officers activated their lights and did a U-turn to follow the allegedly speeding motorcyclist, who pulled over.

They pulled in and a second motorcyclist overtook them but the third motorcyclist didn't see the police vehicle and smashed into the rear.

Sgt Rhodes said the officers had done everything right.

"They pulled off the road to write a ticket for the motorcyclist they got for speeding when the third motorcyclist ran into the back," Sgt Rhodes said.

"This fellow just didn't see them and ran into the back."

He said the officers were lucky they had not yet exited their vehicle.

"If they had opened the door, they might have been hit."

He said investigations were continuing into the incident.

Police are also investigating a single-vehicle accident on Wooroora Rd, Mill Stream, Ravenshoe, yesterday morning when an 18-year-old driverwas injured. He was flown to Cairns Base Hospital. His condition was said to be stable.

NEW CAIRNS.COM.AU COMMENT POLICY
We welcome your comments on this story. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Comments submitted without a full name and suburb/location will not be considered for publication. Please read our full comment policy and publication guidelines.

Share this article